John Todd (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Todd is a former Australian rules football
er and coach. After becoming youngest ever winner of the Sandover Medal
in his first year of senior football he suffered a serious knee injury, which affected his playing career. He then concentrated on coaching and is one of only four coaches in the major Australian football leagues to have coached over 700 senior games.
's reserve grade WAFL
premiership. He made his senior debut the following year aged 16 years and 336 days, one of the youngest and played in every league game, winning both the Sandover Medal
and South's best and fairest
award. Aged 17 and 4 months when he beat Graham Farmer
by 4 votes in the 1955 Sandover Medal count, he was the youngest ever winner apart from Laurie Bowen in 1942 during the restricted under age seasons during World War II.
However, he then suffered a knee injury after only five games in 1956 that was unable to be repaired with the medical techniques of the time. Wearing a special leg brace he was able to continue playing but only had two more seasons in his career that were not affected by injury. He won the South Fremantle best and fairest
award in each of these years, 1958 and 1961 and also was selected in the All-Australian Team
following Western Australia's successful 1961 Brisbane Carnival
performance. Todd played a total of thirteen state games for Western Australia between 1955 and 1962, kicking 25 goals.
He was appointed the playing captain-coach of South Fremantle in 1959 but relinquished the position in 1960. He retired from playing in 1964 and was reappointed coach in 1966. He made a comeback to the playing field in June 1966 in the Foundation Day Derby but retired again soon after, finishing with 132 games.
and AFL
, coaching in 741 senior games over 6 decades.
He first coached his old club South Fremantle
as a captain-coach in 1959, then after his retirement as a player, from 1966-1968. He then coached East Fremantle
from 1973–1976, including winning the 1974 premiership. In 1977 he moved to Swan Districts
, where he coached for eleven seasons winning a hat-trick of premierships between 1982 and 1984.
While at Swans in 1982, Todd caused controversy by sending a reserves team to Melbourne to compete in a Night Series
quarter-final against VFL-club . Todd's actions were in protest to a change of the quarter final schedule, which he felt would be detrimental to his senior team's performance in the WAFL. The inexperienced team lost by 186 points, and the club was banned from the Night Series for three years.
Todd was called up in 1988 to coach the West Coast Eagles
in the then-VFL
, taking over from Ron Alexander
. He was the first coach to take them into the finals in 1988, but after a mediocre year in 1989 he was succeeded by Mick Malthouse
.
Todd went back to the WAFL
to Swan Districts
, where he coached the team to a premiership in his first year back in 1990, before moving back to his original team, South Fremantle
in 1995. He coached them to the 1997 premiership before leaving again after the 1998 season, taking a year off from coaching. In 2000 he made his final move, back to Swan Districts, before finally retiring at the end of 2002. In August 2001 he became the first West Australian and the fourth Australian to coach 700 senior games. The Parliament of Western Australia
suspended its standing orders to pass a motion of congratulation to Todd for his contribution to Australian rules football.
Todd's total coaching career spanned 735 senior games, including:
He also coached six International Rules tests for Australia.
Todd was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
in 2003 as a coach and is a Legend of the West Australian Football Hall of Fame.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er and coach. After becoming youngest ever winner of the Sandover Medal
Sandover Medal
The Sandover Medal is an Australian rules football award, given annually since 1921 to the fairest and best player in the West Australian Football League...
in his first year of senior football he suffered a serious knee injury, which affected his playing career. He then concentrated on coaching and is one of only four coaches in the major Australian football leagues to have coached over 700 senior games.
Playing career
Todd first came to notice when he scored 7 goals in South FremantleSouth Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
's reserve grade WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
premiership. He made his senior debut the following year aged 16 years and 336 days, one of the youngest and played in every league game, winning both the Sandover Medal
Sandover Medal
The Sandover Medal is an Australian rules football award, given annually since 1921 to the fairest and best player in the West Australian Football League...
and South's best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award. Aged 17 and 4 months when he beat Graham Farmer
Graham Farmer
Graham Vivian "Polly" Farmer, MBE is a retired Australian rules football player and coach. Born in Western Australia, he joined the East Perth Football Club as a ruckman in 1953, where he won several awards and contributed to the team winning three premierships...
by 4 votes in the 1955 Sandover Medal count, he was the youngest ever winner apart from Laurie Bowen in 1942 during the restricted under age seasons during World War II.
However, he then suffered a knee injury after only five games in 1956 that was unable to be repaired with the medical techniques of the time. Wearing a special leg brace he was able to continue playing but only had two more seasons in his career that were not affected by injury. He won the South Fremantle best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award in each of these years, 1958 and 1961 and also was selected in the All-Australian Team
All-Australian Team
The All-Australian Team is an all star team of Australian rules footballers, selected by a panel at the end of each season. It represents a complete team, including interchange players and a coach, of the best performed during the season....
following Western Australia's successful 1961 Brisbane Carnival
1961 Brisbane Carnival
The 1961 Brisbane Carnival was the 15th edition of the Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian rules football interstate competition. It was the last carnival to be held in Queensland....
performance. Todd played a total of thirteen state games for Western Australia between 1955 and 1962, kicking 25 goals.
He was appointed the playing captain-coach of South Fremantle in 1959 but relinquished the position in 1960. He retired from playing in 1964 and was reappointed coach in 1966. He made a comeback to the playing field in June 1966 in the Foundation Day Derby but retired again soon after, finishing with 132 games.
Coaching career
Todd made his name as a coach in both the WAFLWest Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
and AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, coaching in 741 senior games over 6 decades.
He first coached his old club South Fremantle
South Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
as a captain-coach in 1959, then after his retirement as a player, from 1966-1968. He then coached East Fremantle
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
from 1973–1976, including winning the 1974 premiership. In 1977 he moved to Swan Districts
Swan Districts Football Club
The Swan Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The club is based at Bassendean Oval, in Bassendean, an eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
, where he coached for eleven seasons winning a hat-trick of premierships between 1982 and 1984.
While at Swans in 1982, Todd caused controversy by sending a reserves team to Melbourne to compete in a Night Series
Australian Football League pre-season competition
The Australian Football League pre-season competition, which is known at present as the NAB Cup, is a competition held before the beginning of the Australian Football League premiership season...
quarter-final against VFL-club . Todd's actions were in protest to a change of the quarter final schedule, which he felt would be detrimental to his senior team's performance in the WAFL. The inexperienced team lost by 186 points, and the club was banned from the Night Series for three years.
Todd was called up in 1988 to coach the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
in the then-VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, taking over from Ron Alexander
Ron Alexander
Ron Alexander is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League and West Australian Football League as well as being the inaugural coach of the West Coast Eagles.-Playing career:...
. He was the first coach to take them into the finals in 1988, but after a mediocre year in 1989 he was succeeded by Mick Malthouse
Mick Malthouse
Michael "Mick" Malthouse is a former Australian rules footballer and the former coach of the Collingwood Football Club.While his playing career included a premiership for Richmond in the VFL, he is best known for his Australian Football League coaching career.Malthouse is the most successful coach...
.
Todd went back to the WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
to Swan Districts
Swan Districts Football Club
The Swan Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The club is based at Bassendean Oval, in Bassendean, an eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
, where he coached the team to a premiership in his first year back in 1990, before moving back to his original team, South Fremantle
South Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
in 1995. He coached them to the 1997 premiership before leaving again after the 1998 season, taking a year off from coaching. In 2000 he made his final move, back to Swan Districts, before finally retiring at the end of 2002. In August 2001 he became the first West Australian and the fourth Australian to coach 700 senior games. The Parliament of Western Australia
Parliament of Western Australia
The Parliament of Western Australia consists of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly . The Parliament sits at Parliament House in Harvest Terrace, Perth....
suspended its standing orders to pass a motion of congratulation to Todd for his contribution to Australian rules football.
Todd's total coaching career spanned 735 senior games, including:
- 417 games for Swan Districts, including four premierships
- 172 games for South Fremantle, including one premiership
- 87 games for East Fremantle, including one premiership
- 45 games for the West Coast Eagles
- 14 representative games for Western Australia
He also coached six International Rules tests for Australia.
Todd was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
Australian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
in 2003 as a coach and is a Legend of the West Australian Football Hall of Fame.